Testing the Effectiveness of Personal Names for Alerting Transitions in Semi-Automated Cars

Abstract

This thesis investigates how a speech alert that uses a driver’s own name affects the speed, accuracy, and subjective experience of responding to transitions of control in the context of semi-automated driving. Preceding studies have shown that a personal name can be an effective stimulus to capture attention. However, studies that used names for alerts in automotive settings found mixed results when comparing the effectiveness between name and non-name conditions. In this thesis, an experiment with a simulated semi-automated car was conducted, in which participants were watching driving videos while playing a mobile game. Occasionally they heard speech alerts that started with either their name or a warning sound. They were required to immediately disengage from the game and respond to the alerts by pressing a button on the steering wheel or by pressing the brake. Results showed that participants’ response times were significantly faster when hearing the alerts containing their names. There was no difference in subjective experience between conditions found. The results suggest that one’s name is a useful addition to an in-car alert and warrants deeper investigation for future research.